Cosaic, which recently rebranded from Cultivated Biosciences, is a Swiss foodtech startup focused on developing fat ingredients for dairy alternatives using yeast fermentation, with the goal of improving the creaminess and mouthfeel of plant-based dairy products. Their mission is to bridge the sensory gap between conventional and plant-based dairy, making the latter more appealing to mainstream consumers.
Tomas Turner, the CEO of Cosaic, is a Material Engineer from the Swiss Institute of Technology (EPFL). During his studies, he encountered the concept of alternative proteins and directly recognized it could be part of the solution to answer the climate and health challenges we face. After an internship at Planted Foods, he continued exploring his interest at EPFL. He conceived the idea of producing creamy fat using yeast, and won prestigious student grants to pursue and found the company. He is now developing this solution further at Cosaic with the mission of creating better products for people, the planet and businesses.
In this interview, Tomas discusses the company’s strategic rebrand from Cultivated Biosciences, the breakthrough functionality of its flagship ingredient Cosaic Neo, and hoand its potential to elevate product performance and clean-label innovation in the plant-based sector.
Why did you decide to change the company name from Cultivated Biosciences to Cosaic, and what does the new name represent?
Back in 2021, I had the idea to grow fats from yeast, to provide texture solutions for vegan cheeses and get my parents to eat more plant-based.
With time, our team learnt from the industry about much bigger needs than pure fat alternatives and discovered that our ingredient was much more powerful than “just fat”. It contains fats, but also proteins and fibers. It is the combination of those components that allows to naturally combine 8 key functionalities in 1 animal-free ingredient. Working closely with the industry, we now have a better understanding of our value proposition, evolved our narrative, and focused our go-to-market on the high-potential protein shake segment.
This achievement marked a turn in the company’s roadmap and strategy. To clarify it to the world, we decided to rebrand.
Cosaic is an simple, punchy brand name to be liked and remembered. It’s mosaic with a c. To refer to the mosaic of ingredients blending into 1 product. And the mosaic of our fats, proteins and fibers blending into 1 emulsion.
What makes Cosaic Neo so special compared to other ingredients on the market?
Cosaic Neo is a unique and patented yeast-derived emulsion that combines 8 functionalities into 1 single ingredient. Other ingredients are usually single purposed, either for one functionality, for bulk or for nutrition. Cosaic Neo improves the performance of the products while replacing additives and cleaning labels, but also improves the sensory in terms of creaminess and taste. This impact on both functionality and sensory is a very strong attribute of Cosaic Neo compared to other ingredients on the market.
How does Cosaic plan to stand out in the growing plant-based food industry?
Cosaic stands out by offering a yeast-derived emulsion that delivers superior functionality—creaminess, stability, and mouthfeel—compared to any plant-based or yeast-derived alternative on the market. While most yeast-based ingredients are purified proteins, flavors, or oils, our patented emulsion unlocks the full potential of the yeast in a completely different way. It enables food producers to achieve premium texture and nutrition without compromising on taste or clean labels—and crucially, without increasing cost-in-use. This combination of performance and affordability is what makes us different in a market that’s increasingly looking for both.
Cosaic Neo is said to solve problems in plant-based protein shakes. Can you explain how it improves the texture and taste of these products?
First, the inclusion of Cosaic Neo enables a very high concentration of proteins in protein shakes, to an amount that is impossible to reach without – up to 50g for a 330ml bottle! This is technically possible because Cosaic Neo lowers the viscosity of the food matrix, and prevents from gelling after UHT, which is the barrier that the industry has when it comes to developing high nutrient shakes.
Then, we’ve organised a sensory blind tasting with a protein shake with and a protein shake without Cosaic Neo. Panelists directly noted the difference: the prototype with Cosaic Neo was notably creamier and tastier. Cosaic Neo masks the usual plant-protein off-flavours and it’s inherent creaminess also impacts the mouthfeel of the product.
Why is it important that Cosaic Neo allows for higher protein content in protein shakes, and how does it help consumers?
Health conscious consumers who buy protein shakes want a maximum of nutrition in a convenient ready-to-drink bottle. Food manufacturers want the best nutrition claims on the pack. We allow for both to happen by physically enabling higher nutrients load in the same volume.
What other types of products do you think will benefit the most from using Cosaic Neo?
Cosaic Neo can have an impact on all major alternative dairy and dairy applications, but we noticed traction specifically on:
- Ready-to-drink protein and nutrition shakes
- dairy-free milks, barista and coffee creamers
- mayo & sauces
- creamy liqueurs
How does Cosaic Neo help food developers create better products for consumers?
The current toolbox of food developers contains ingredients for nutrition (proteins, fibers), for bulk, and for functionality (additives). They need to pick and choose from those categories to get their product to tick all boxes. Cosaic Neo sets new rules for food ingredients: it reconciles the needs from the industry for more resilience and performance with the consumer needs for better and tastier products. How so? It cleans labels by replacing unwanted additives, improves the mouthfeel and the taste, improves the physical stability and much more.
What are the biggest challenges you face as you prepare to launch Cosaic Neo in the US and Europe?
The regulatory hurdle (GRAS and novel food) is the biggest challenge, given the context in the US and the long process in Europe. Luckily, we work with a novel composition of a yeast with Qualified Presumption of Safety. This means that we need to pass regulatory approval, but we already have a strong base of knowledge for authorities to prove its safety.
What are your long-term goals for Cosaic, and how do you see the company growing in the next few years?
Cosaic Neo is the first ingredient solution to be launched. Cosaic’s state-of-the-art biotechnology platform will enable further ingredient launches in the coming years, each tackling new industry challenges to create better products for people, business and the planet.
